doing and then said he was interested in signing up six Yeovil players. I was one of them.
I was really flattered. Only six months earlier he hadn’t been sure whether or not to offer me a contract and now he was willing to pay money for me. I told him I would definitely consider it and he said he would be in touch. I’m guessing he got short shrift from Yeovil, though, as that was the last I heard of it.
Despite this distraction, both the team and my own impressive form continued. It seemed I was finally achieving the level of consistency I had been lacking in my career to date.
We suffered a slight hiccup by needing a replay to dispose of Horsham in the FA Cup after a stuttering draw at home in the first game, but other than that everything was going swimmingly.
Our first big test came at the start of November when we played our big rivals Rushden & Diamonds away. We won the game 2–1 in front of over 5,000 fans, the ever-reliable Warren Patmore giving us the lead before Darren Way calmly converted a penalty with five minutes to go (Darren had assumed penalty-taking duties from me after I had fluffed my lines in the first game against Kettering). This result sent out a message to every team in the League that Yeovil were serious title contenders. The result put us four points clear at the top with a game in hand.
We then faced Colchester United at home. This was a great draw as far as I was concerned because I had been born and brought up just fifteen minutes from our opponents. Before the game Colin had decided to take us down to Bournemouth for a team bonding exercise. Translated, it meant we went on a three-day piss-up – not something recommended by the modern-day sports scientists, although it was a great trip. As I alluded to earlier we had a brilliant team spirit where everyone socialised together. Normally you get a few players who do not like socialising with the group but not in this team. Everyone got on like a house on fire. I have been a part of some really strong groups and this compared favourably to any of them.
But, despite not really needing it, Colin was brilliant at pulling everyonetogether and, even at his age was in the thick of the action. I would not say I came back from that trip refreshed but it definitely had the desired effect.
Not only did we beat Colchester, we thrashed them out of sight 5–1. As you would expect, with a result like that, the whole team was in imperious form. Warren and Barrington Belgrave ran them ragged up front, Darren Way and I dominated the midfield and Skivo marshalled the back line expertly. A new, tougher tackling style led to me ending ex-Ipswich Town man Jason Dozzell’s participation in the game early – although fairly, I should add – and the scoreline flattered Colchester if anything. I was delighted with my own performance as I assisted three of the goals.
My form was starting to attract some attention and I got called up for trial games used to select players for the England non-League team (England C as it is currently known). Warren had played in it a few times and I was keen to get at least one cap. Every time he came back from a trip I questioned him about it, asking him everything from what the other England players were like to the standard of the opposition. Unfortunately for me, my game got cancelled and was never rearranged – that was the closest I ever got to a call-up.
In our next game we drew 2–2 away to Scarborough and I scored a free kick. Around this time Colin pulled me into his office and we had some informal talks about a new contract since mine was due to expire in the summer. He wanted me to stay and asked what sort of contract I was looking for. I still had no agent so conducted the discussions myself.
I told Colin I wanted a two-year contract with a £5,000 signing-on fee and £500 a week in the first year, rising to £550 a week in the second. I felt this was fair considering my standing in the team and Colin did not
I was really flattered. Only six months earlier he hadn’t been sure whether or not to offer me a contract and now he was willing to pay money for me. I told him I would definitely consider it and he said he would be in touch. I’m guessing he got short shrift from Yeovil, though, as that was the last I heard of it.
Despite this distraction, both the team and my own impressive form continued. It seemed I was finally achieving the level of consistency I had been lacking in my career to date.
We suffered a slight hiccup by needing a replay to dispose of Horsham in the FA Cup after a stuttering draw at home in the first game, but other than that everything was going swimmingly.
Our first big test came at the start of November when we played our big rivals Rushden & Diamonds away. We won the game 2–1 in front of over 5,000 fans, the ever-reliable Warren Patmore giving us the lead before Darren Way calmly converted a penalty with five minutes to go (Darren had assumed penalty-taking duties from me after I had fluffed my lines in the first game against Kettering). This result sent out a message to every team in the League that Yeovil were serious title contenders. The result put us four points clear at the top with a game in hand.
We then faced Colchester United at home. This was a great draw as far as I was concerned because I had been born and brought up just fifteen minutes from our opponents. Before the game Colin had decided to take us down to Bournemouth for a team bonding exercise. Translated, it meant we went on a three-day piss-up – not something recommended by the modern-day sports scientists, although it was a great trip. As I alluded to earlier we had a brilliant team spirit where everyone socialised together. Normally you get a few players who do not like socialising with the group but not in this team. Everyone got on like a house on fire. I have been a part of some really strong groups and this compared favourably to any of them.
But, despite not really needing it, Colin was brilliant at pulling everyonetogether and, even at his age was in the thick of the action. I would not say I came back from that trip refreshed but it definitely had the desired effect.
Not only did we beat Colchester, we thrashed them out of sight 5–1. As you would expect, with a result like that, the whole team was in imperious form. Warren and Barrington Belgrave ran them ragged up front, Darren Way and I dominated the midfield and Skivo marshalled the back line expertly. A new, tougher tackling style led to me ending ex-Ipswich Town man Jason Dozzell’s participation in the game early – although fairly, I should add – and the scoreline flattered Colchester if anything. I was delighted with my own performance as I assisted three of the goals.
My form was starting to attract some attention and I got called up for trial games used to select players for the England non-League team (England C as it is currently known). Warren had played in it a few times and I was keen to get at least one cap. Every time he came back from a trip I questioned him about it, asking him everything from what the other England players were like to the standard of the opposition. Unfortunately for me, my game got cancelled and was never rearranged – that was the closest I ever got to a call-up.
In our next game we drew 2–2 away to Scarborough and I scored a free kick. Around this time Colin pulled me into his office and we had some informal talks about a new contract since mine was due to expire in the summer. He wanted me to stay and asked what sort of contract I was looking for. I still had no agent so conducted the discussions myself.
I told Colin I wanted a two-year contract with a £5,000 signing-on fee and £500 a week in the first year, rising to £550 a week in the second. I felt this was fair considering my standing in the team and Colin did not
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